equest Introductory Tutorial equest Introductory Tutorial, version 3.63

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1 equest Introductory Tutorial equest Introductory Tutorial, version 3.63 JAMES J. HIRSCH & ASSOCIATES April 2009

2 James J. Hirsch & Associates Presilla Road. Camarillo, CA Phone Fax

3 Table of Contents 1 Background Information 1 equest = DOE-2 + Wizards + Graphics 3 Overview of the Process 4 Building Blocks of Simulation 5 Data Requirements 8 HVAC Zoning 10 Keep it Simple but not too simple 11 Simplifying HVAC Zoning 13 Computational Steps in equest 14 Types of Heat Transfer Surfaces in DOE-2 15 Types of Internal Loads Things to Know Before Getting Started with equest 17 Installing equest 20 Testing equest 22 Testing equest 23 Tour / Overview 25 Schematic Design Wizard 28 General Information 29 Building Footprint 30 Customized Building Footprint 31 Importing DWG Files for Custom Footprints 34 Custom HVAC Zoning 40 Building Envelope Constructions 41 Building Interior Constructions 42 Exterior Doors 43 Exterior Windows 44 Exterior Window Shades 45 Roof Skylights 46 Daylight Zoning (ground floor) 47 Daylight Zoning (typical and top floors) 48 Activity Areas Allocation 49 Occupied Loads by Activity Area 50 Unoccupied Loads by Activity Area 51 Main Schedule Information 52 HVAC System Definitions 53 HVAC Zone Temperatures & Air Flows 54 Package HVAC Equipment 55 HVAC System Fans 56 HVAC Fan Schedules, System 1 57 HVAC Fan Schedules, System 2 58 Zone Heating & Economizer 59 Hot & Cold Deck Rests 60 Cooling Primary Equipment 61 Primary Equipment Heat Rejection 62 Introductory Tutorial, version 3.63 and beyond

4 Chilled Water System Control 63 Heating Primary Equipment 64 Hot Water System Control 65 Domestic Water Heating Equipment 66 Electric Utility Uniform Charges 67 Electric Utility Block Charges 68 Electric Utility Time-of-Use Charges 69 Electric Utility Time-of-Use Periods 70 Fuel Utility Charges 71 Saving Complex Custom Utility Rates 72 Project Information 73 Multiple Buildings in the SD Wizard 74 Design Development Wizard 75 Design Development Wizard 76 Project and Site Screens 76 Project Navigator 77 Project & Site: Seasonal Definitions 78 Building Shell: General Shell Information 79 Building Shell: Building Footprint 80 Building Shell: Pitched Roof 81 Bldg Shell: Building Operations Schedule 82 Building Shell: Activity Areas Allocation 83 Building Shell: Hourly Profiles 84 Building Shell: Zone Group Definitions 85 Bldg Shell: Non-HVAC Enduses to Model 86 Air-Side: HVAC System Definition 87 Air-Side: HVAC Zone Temps & Air Flows 88 Air-Side: Fan Schedules Building Shell Module 92 Project & Site Module 96 Internal Loads Module 97 Water-Side HVAC Module 98 Air-Side HVAC Module 99 Utility & Economics Module 100 Energy Efficiency Measures Wizard 101 Roof Insulation EEM 102 Side Daylighting EEM 103 Top Daylighting EEM 103 Glass Type EEM 104 Efficient Lighting EEM 104 VSD Fans EEM 105 CHW Pump VSD EEM 105 Run Info Screen 107 SD Wizard Screen #1 107 SD Wizard Screen # SD Wizard Screen # SD Wizard Screen # Introductory Tutorial, version 3.63 and beyond

5 Monthly Energy Consumption by End Use 112 Annual Energy Consumption by End Use 113 Monthly Utility Bills, All Rates 114 Monthly Peak Demand by End Use 115 Annual Peak Demand by End Use 116 Monthly Peak Day Electric Load Profiles 117 Monthly Total Energy Consumption 119 Annual Utility Bills by Rate 120 Monthly Utility Bills 121 Annual Energy by End Use 122 Annual Electric Use by Enduse 123 Annual Building Summary 124 Annual Enduse Summary DOE-2 LOADS Reports 131 DOE-2 SYSTEM Reports 132 DOE-2 PLANT Reports 133 DOE-2 ECONOMICS Reports 134 Introductory Tutorial, version 3.63 and beyond

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7 equest Introductory Tutorial The reader who is already familiar with building energy use simulation may wish to skip this section, and continue this tutorial at the next section (Quick Start). For the reader who is new to the use of building energy use simulation, this section provides an overview from a "how-to" perspective. Two Energy Design Resources (EDR) publications will also be very helpful to the new simulation practitioner, providing an overview and a perspective of the role simulation plays in the energy-efficient design process. Both are highly recommended and are briefly described below and on the following page. Background Information Integrated Energy Design Today's building designers must view their design responsibilities from a much broader, even global, perspective. From operating costs, to energy efficiency, to broader issues of sustainability, the quality of building design decisions can only be as good as the information entering the design process, i.e., the performance levels our building design projects ultimately realize is a function of how well informed our design decisions are. Globally Optimum Building Design Operating Costs Energy Use Environmental Impacts project performance = f(informed decisions) The EDR Design Brief, Integrated Energy Design, uses examples to describe the "whole-building" design process necessary to realize the full potential of energy-efficient buildings. Simulation provides the performance information critical to the "whole-building" energy-efficient building design process. The Integrated Energy Design EDR Design Brief is available on-line or via free download (PDF file) at: Introductory Tutorial, page 1 of 134

8 equest Introductory Tutorial Background Information Building Simulation In recent years, the remarkable gains in desktop computing power and simulation tool technology have placed unprecedented analytical power literally at the finger tips of building design professionals. Building designers and developers can now take their intended building designs for a "test drive" before "signing on the dotted line", something previously only possible under the most generous design budgets. Additional introductory background to building energy use simulation is available in an EDR Design Brief entitled Building Simulation. Using examples, it describes what simulation is, how it can be used to greatest advantage, what simulation tools are widely used, and where to go to obtain them or more information about them. The EDR Building Simulation Design Brief is available on-line or via free download (PDF file) at: page 2 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

9 equest Introductory Tutorial equest = DOE-2 + Wizards + Graphics DOE-2-derived engine in equest DOE-2 is the most widely recognized and respected building energy analysis program in use today. Although DOE-2 was first released in the late 1970's, it used as starting points earlier simulation tools and methods developed and funded by ASHRAE, NASA, the U.S. Postal Service, and the electric and gas utility industries. During the first half of the 1980's, it continued under DOE support, but decreasing national concern about energy created the need for industry support, which became its principal source of support through much of the 1990's. Through this long, and collaborative history, DOE-2 has been widely reviewed and validated in the public domain. The simulation "engine" within equest is derived from the latest official version of DOE-2, however, equest's engine extends and expands DOE-2's capabilities in several important ways, including: interactive operation, dynamic/intelligent defaults, and improvements to numerous long-standing shortcomings in DOE-2 that have limited its use by mainstream designers and buildings professionals. equest and Integrated Energy Design While DOE-2 has long been available for designers to "test drive" the energy performance of their building designs, it has been too difficult and expensive to use for most projects. Imagine instead, a building energy simulation tool so comprehensive that it would be useful to ALL design team members, yet so intuitive ANY design team member could use it, in ANY or ALL design phases, including schematic design. equest is well named because it provides something the buildings industry has been looking for, but until now has been unable to find a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use building energy analysis tool powerful enough to address every design team member's domain (e.g., architectural, lighting, mechanical) but simple enough to permit a collaborative effort by ALL design team members in ALL design phases. equest was designed to allow you to perform detailed analysis of today s state-of-the-art building technologies using today s most sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques without requiring extensive experience in the "art" of building performance modeling. This is possible because equest's DOE-2-derived engine is combined with a building creation wizard, an energy efficiency measure wizard, industry standard input defaults, and a graphical results display module. equest will step you through the creation of a detailed building model, allow you to automatically perform parametric simulations of your design alternatives and provide you with intuitive graphics that compare the performance of your design alternatives. Reliable detailed simulation has never been easier. With equest, you ll be able to provide professional-level results in an affordable level of effort. Imagine being able to evaluate today s newest building technologies, at the speed of today's design process. Well imagine no longer! Introductory Tutorial, page 3 of 134

10 equest Introductory Tutorial Overview of the Process equest calculates hour-by-hour building energy consumption over an entire year (8760 hours) using hourly weather data for the location under consideration. Input to the program consists of a detailed description of the building being analyzed, including hourly scheduling of occupants, lighting, equipment, and thermostat settings. equest provides very accurate simulation of such building features as shading, fenestration, interior building mass, envelope building mass, and the dynamic response of differing heating and air conditioning system types and controls. equest also contains a dynamic daylighting model to assess the effect of natural lighting on thermal and lighting demands. The simulation process begins by developing a "model" of the building based on building plans and specifications. A base line building model that assumes a minimum level of efficiency (e.g., minimally compliant with California Title24 or ASHRAE 90.1) is then developed to provide the base from which energy savings are estimated. Alternative analyses are made by making changes to the model that correspond to efficiency measures that could be implemented in the building. These alternative analyses result in annual utility consumption and cost savings for the efficiency measure that can then be used to determine simple payback, life-cycle cost, etc. for the measure and, ultimately, to determine the best combination of alternatives. page 4 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

11 equest Introductory Tutorial Building Blocks of Simulation Building simulation requires that a model of the proposed building be created not a physical model but a virtual model capable of simulating the important thermodynamics of the proposed building. Experienced modelers learn to prize parsimony in their work elegant simplicity capturing the essential details, and no more. Great minds, in addition to your's, have come to appreciate this aspiration "make things as simple as possible, and no simpler" (Albert Einstein). Toward that end, the following list summarizes essential components, steps, or building blocks, in a how-to description of the process of simulation modeling. Before "building" anything, including your simulation model, first consider and collect the following Analysis Objectives (Begin with the End in Mind) Try to approach your simulation model with a clear understanding of the design questions you wish to answer using your simulation model. Simplifications that you build into your model will both unclutter your model so you can focus on the important issues and at the same time, limit the questions you can use your model to answer. Experience will teach you how best to strike this important balance for each new project. Building Site Information and Weather Data Important building site characteristics include latitude, longitude and elevation, plus information about adjacent structure or landscape capable of casting significant shadows on your proposed (or existing) building. Your equest CD (or download) comes with long-term average weather data (~30-year average) for the sixteen standard climate zones in California. For users outside of California, over 650 weather files are available via automatic download (as-needed). Some international locations are also available. Visit to browse available equest weather locations. Building Shell, Structure, Materials, and Shades equest is interested in the walls, roof, and floor of your proposed building only in so far as they transfer or store heat (or "coolth"). You will need to have some idea of the geometry (dimensions) and construction materials of each of the heat transfer surfaces in your proposed building. Only the most significant need be included (e.g., many modelers omit parapet walls or walls inclosing unconditioned spaces since they do not directly enclose conditioned space). This will include glass properties of windows and the dimensions of any window shades (e.g., overhangs and fins). equest provides users with simple, user-friendly, choices for each of these. Introductory Tutorial, page 5 of 134

12 equest Introductory Tutorial Building Blocks of Simulation (continued) Building Operations and Scheduling A clear understanding of the schedule of operation of the existing or proposed building is important to the overall accuracy of your simulation model. This includes information about when building occupancy begins and ends (times, days of the week, and seasonal variations such as for schools), occupied indoor thermostat setpoints, and HVAC and internal equipment operations schedules. equest defaults operations schedule information based on building type. Internal Loads Heat gain from internal loads (e.g., people, lights, and equipment) can constitute a significant portion of the utility requirements in large buildings, both from their direct power requirements and the indirect effect they have on cooling and heating requirements. In fact, internal loads can frequently make large buildings relatively insensitive to weather. More importantly, the performance of almost all energy-efficient design alternatives will be impacted either directly or indirectly by the amount of internal load within a building. Although equest contains reasonable defaults by building type, the experienced user will take care to estimate these as carefully as possible. The industry standard source for these data is the ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals (published every four years), available through ASHRAE at Recent research into this important topic also is available from LBNL via HVAC Equipment and Performance Few model components will have as much influence on overall building energy use and the performance of most energy-efficient design alternatives as will the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) equipment. It follows that good information regarding HVAC equipment efficiency will be important to the accuracy of any energy use simulation. equest assumes default HVAC equipment efficiencies according to California's Title 24 energy standard. Where possible, equipment efficiencies specific to each analysis should be obtained, e.g., from the building design engineers or directly from equipment manufactures. Most HVAC equipment manufactures now publish equipment performance data on their web sites. Additionally, detailed equipment performance data is also available to the public from the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) via and from the California Energy Commission (CEC) via page 6 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

13 equest Introductory Tutorial Building Blocks of Simulation (continued) Utility Rates A great strength of detailed energy use simulation using equest is the ability to predict hourly electrical demand profiles that can then be coupled with full details of the applicable utility rates (tariffs). equest comes with the principal residential and commercial electric and natural gas rates from the sponsoring California utilities. For California locations (weather file selections), equest defaults the rate selection depending on climate zone and on estimated peak electrical demand. Users outside California must create their own utility rate descriptions using equest's DOE-2-derived Building Description Language (BDL) and save these descriptions as text files for equest's use. The syntax and structure of BDL utility rate files is explained in a file named "BDL Utility Rate Documentation.pdf" found in the "C:\Program Files\eQUEST\Rates" folder. A "Readme.txt" file in the same folder overviews the procedure. Economic Parameters Energy Design Resources concurs with a growing chorus including the U.S. DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in recommending life-cycle economics above simple payback methods of economic analysis. Because energy efficiency investments usually return benefit over the entire life of the building or system, considering their life-cycle impact is most appropriate. Imagine selecting a variable rate mortgage based on no more information than the initial interest rate. While few would be comfortable ignoring the longer-range terms of any loan or investment, it is common practice among building developers and designers to recommend building efficiency investments with equal shortsightedness. A summary discussion of life-cycle costing with examples, including a comparison to simple payback is now part of equest v 3.63 (right click on any input field in equest and select Tutorials and Reference, then Life-Cycle Costs). While life-cycle economics analysis is included in equest, several free life-cycle cost tools and resources are also available to the interested user. These include the Building Life-Cycle Cost Program from NIST (free at and User-Friendly Life-Cycle Costing, an Excel form of the widely used NIST/BLCC methodology (free at Energy Design Resources also offers evaluator, user-friendly life cycle economics tool that goes beyond traditional life-cycle cost tools by including payroll and productivity data, lease rates, and occupancy rates. evaluator is available free at Introductory Tutorial, page 7 of 134

14 equest Introductory Tutorial Data Requirements The image below illustrates in detail, the type of data you should either assemble prior to developing your simulation model, or confirm in the course of your modeling, and the point in the design process each item of building information typically becomes finalized. Design Construction Item Source Schematic Development Documents Architectural building and zone areas plan sheets x x x envelope construction materials wall sections x x surface areas (by orientation) building elevations x x x fenestration areas (by building elevations x x x orientation) fenestration u-value & SC window schedule x or specifications x Mechanical HVAC zoning HVAC plans x x design flow rates HVAC plans x x equipment descriptions equipment schedules x or specifications x control sequences control diagrams x or specifications x Electrical lighting equipment lighting layout x x or lighting schedule x Internal Loads peak occupancy (by zone) owner, operator x x x peak lighting (by zone) lighting plans x x peak equipment (by zone) mech or owner x x Operations per zone: occ, lights, equip schedules owner or operator x x x thermostat schedules owner or operator x x x per terminal system: outside air operations HVAC equip schedule x hot & cold deck HVAC equip schedule x temperatures fan schedules owner or operator x x x fan kw HVAC equip schedule x x per primary system: lock-out schedules control sequences x Economic utility schedules (all fuels) utility representative x x x equipment costs designer or x x manufacturer life-cycle cost parameters owner x x x page 8 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

15 equest Introductory Tutorial Data Requirements (continued) The same list of data (from previous page) is organized below to help the modeler make and manage data collection assignments to other design team members. Date columns allow more detailed data to be targeted as it becomes available or necessary. assignment date1 DATES date2 date3 Modeling Information Request Project Name / Date INFORMATION ARCHITECTURAL floor plans space layout/areas, surface orientations elevations surface areas (windows, doors) building/wall/roof sections materials composition site plans adjacent structures and landscape roof plans skylights and overhangs gross area & net (conditioned area) ENVELOPE MATERIALS glazing shading coefficient, u-value, frame type, interior shading u-values: wall, roof, ceiling, skylight, slab & spandral MECHANICAL HVAC plans approximate HVAC zoning layout equipment types approx equipment sizes, design conditions, & efficiencies anticipated control sequences ELECTRICAL / INTERNAL LOADS lighting plans lighting power density (by HVAC zone) design illuminance (by HVAC zone) peak occupancy (by HVAC zone) peak equipment (by HVAC zone) OPERATIONS per HVAC zone occupancy, lights & equipment schedules thermostat settings and schedules per air handler anticipated coil leaving air temperatures minimum outside air fan schedules anticipated fan static & efficiency central plant (if applicable) chilled & hot water temperatures equipment control sequences ECONOMIC base case first costs (for equipment & systems affected by ECM's) ECM first costs applicable & optional utility rates POTENTIAL ECM's envelope lighting mechanical Introductory Tutorial, page 9 of 134

16 equest Introductory Tutorial HVAC Zoning LOADING ZONE HVAC zoning recognizes that load profiles seen by different spaces in a building differ. Identifying those areas with similar load profiles and grouping them under the same thermostat control improves comfort and may reduce energy. For example, imagine measuring indoor air temperatures at many locations throughout a building during hours when the HVAC fans are turned off. Internal gains, solar gains, and envelope gains/losses would cause the temperatures to vary with time. If, after some number of hours or days, you carefully examined the temperature histories, grouping together those that shared similar profiles, you would have effectively grouped together those areas of the building that share similar load characteristics. Each such area or "zone" could, therefore, be adequately controlled by a single thermostat. In other words, HVAC thermal zoning seeks to group together those areas (rooms) in a building that share similar load and usage characteristics, for purposes of control. Of course, this imagined procedure is not how HVAC engineers actually zone any building. Rather, the rules listed below are followed. The same rules apply when zoning a simulation model. when modeling existing buildings, refer to the actual zoning indicated by the HVAC plans, if available for new buildings and when simplifying the zoning of an existing building consider: magnitude and schedule of internal loads magnitude and schedule of solar gains schedule of fan system operations outside air requirements intended efficiency measures (ECM's) location of thermostats called out on the HVAC plans In general, provide: one exterior zone per major orientation (12 to 18 feet deep) one internal zone per use schedule one plenum zone (if plenum returns) for each air handler to be modeled separately one zone each for special uses (e.g., conference rooms, cafeterias, etc.) separate ground and top floor zones Currently, equest provides the user with two automatic zoning schemes, one-zone-per-floor, and simple core-vs-perimeter zoning. Based on this user selection, equest will automatically zone your model for you. page 10 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

17 equest Introductory Tutorial Keep it Simple but not too simple One of the most important early lessons new simulation users must learn is how to identify and avoid unnecessary detail and complexity in their simulation models. If you think about it, all simulation modeling relies on abstraction, i.e., simplifying our view of the model to capture only the essence of what matters. Good advice is Think complicated but model simply and Complicated models have no divine right of acceptance (Pidd, M Five Simple Principles of Modeling, in Proceeding s of the 1996 Winter Simulation Conference.) Consider the following examples. 10-Storey High rise structure How many floors should be modeled to predict the energy use adequately?... To evaluate preferred design alternatives? The answer may seem obvious: ALL of them, but that does not mean all floors have to be modeled explicitly. Compare the results presented below from simulation runs made of the same building, using Floor Multiplies to approximate the full 10-story structure. Introductory Tutorial, page 11 of 134

18 equest Introductory Tutorial Keep it Simple but not too simple Many times, a more important concern for a model s adequacy is whether it can accurately predict the benefit (impact) due to design alternatives. The bar graphs below present monthly total electric use for each of four runs: 1) baseline (minimum code compliance), 2) window shading via horizontal overhangs, 3) side daylighting, and 4) high efficiency chiller (each run on top of the preceding measure). The upper graph is from the 10-story model. The lower graph is from the 3-story model using a multiplier on the middle ( typical ) floor. Results for 10-story model Results for 3-story model (with multiplier) On the other hand, it is possible to over simplify a model, i.e., the results are no longer consistent with more complete or complex versions of the same model. The graph below presents results from the same building. The graph on the left presents results from a standard core vs perimeter HVAC zoning scheme while the results on the right are for the same building assuming one zone per floor. Notice that the largest difference between the two models is that the single zone-per-floor model significantly under-predicts heating electric use. Standard Zoning Over-Simplified Zoning page 12 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

19 equest Introductory Tutorial Simplifying HVAC Zoning In an effort to keep a simulation model as simple as possible, experienced modelers often find it possible and desirable to simplify the actual zoning (i.e., combine zones). Simplifying the HVAC zoning in a model will generally make the model smaller, and simpler to manage and maintain. A host of reasons may cause the actual HVAC zoning to be more detailed than indicated by the rules above, or required to adequately represent the necessary thermodynamic conditions. These would include, Tenant and leasing flexibility may dictate that the building be divided up in a manner that facilitates flexible leasing of space assignment requirements. Ceiling space limitations or manufacture terminal equipment size limitations may cause a larger number of smaller units to be specified than strictly required by the rules on the previous page. Acoustical privacy requirements may separate supply to adjacent areas. Code requirements may separate supply to adjacent areas (e.g., separate return for smoking areas). Common ways that modelers simplify the zoning and size of their models include the following. In multiple floor high rise-type buildings, intermediate "typical" floors are modeled as only one floor in the simulation model and a floor multiplier is applied in the model to permit the modeled typical floor to represent the true, larger, number of floors. All actual perimeter zones along similar orientations are combined into one zone with the same common orientation. This assumes that all of the perimeter zones so combined behave in a very similar manner. Separate core zones are usually combined, again, on the assumption that the separate core zones actually behave in an indistinguishable manner. An important consequence of this type of zoning simplification is that the number of modeled HVAC air-handler systems is often smaller than the number of actual HVAC systems in the actual building. In effect, two or more actual HVAC systems are combined in the model, i.e., represented by a "composite" system whose capacity is equal to the sum of the actual systems, and whose performance characteristics (i.e., efficiency) are the average of the actual systems. Introductory Tutorial, page 13 of 134

20 equest Introductory Tutorial Computational Steps in equest To better understand the results and limitations of equest's DOE-2- engine, it is helpful to be familiar with the generic computational steps DOE-2 has always gone through in its simulation. The sequence illustrated below depicts seven broad steps of calculations performed hourly by equest. Note that these seven steps occur within four overall areas of the program, Loads, Systems, Plant, and Economics. Understanding this sequence is important to understanding the detailed reports produced by equest's DOE-2-derived engine. See the section of this tutorial for a brief overview of the available detailed reports. equest produces intuitive graphical summary results reports. See the section for more information about equest's summary reports. LOADS Instantaneous Gain Space Load SYSTEMS Heat Extraction Coil Load PLANT Primary Energy/Demand ECONOMICS Utility Rate Utility Costs page 14 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

21 equest Introductory Tutorial Types of Heat Transfer Surfaces in DOE-2 To better understand how an equest simulation views your simulation problem, it is useful to recognize that DOE-2 has always had only four types of heat transfer surfaces on its "palette" to use to model the various types of heat transfer surfaces in your actual (proposed) building: light-transmitting surfaces, e.g., windows, glass block walls, sliding glass doors, skylights, etc. - DOE-2 thinks of all of these as the same type of heat transfer surface, i.e., a WINDOW. exterior surfaces, e.g., opaque exterior surfaces such as exterior walls, roofs, and floors, etc. - DOE-2 thinks of all of these as the same type of heat transfer surface, i.e., an EXTERIOR-WALL. interior surfaces, e.g., opaque interior surfaces such as interior walls, interior floors, and interior ceilings, etc. - DOE-2 thinks of all of these as the same type of heat transfer surface, i.e., an INTERIOR-WALL. underground surfaces, e.g., underground surfaces such as basement floors & walls, & slab-on-grade - DOE-2 thinks of all of these as the same type of heat transfer surface, i.e., an UNDERGROUND-WALL. equest automatically provides its DOE-2-derived simulation engine with the input descriptions it needs, based on your easy-to-understand building description. Introductory Tutorial, page 15 of 134

22 equest Introductory Tutorial Types of Internal Loads To better understand how equest views your simulation problem, it is useful to recognize that there are three broadly different categories of internal loads. 1) loads seen by BOTH a thermostat and the utility meter examples include: receptacle or plug loads (e.g., electric and electronic office equipment), task lighting, ambient (over-head) lighting, etc. 2) loads seen ONLY by a thermostat, not by the utility meter examples include: occupants, process loads, propane-powered fork lifts in a warehouse, etc. 3) loads seen ONLY by the utility meter, not by any thermostat examples include: outdoor parking lot or sign lighting, lights and plug loads in exhausted spaces equest allows users to model any of these, but supports only the more common load examples from within its Wizards. page 16 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

23 equest Introductory Tutorial Things to Know Before Getting Started with equest Whole building analysis. equest is designed to provide whole building performance analysis to buildings professionals, i.e., owners, designers, operators, utility & regulatory personnel, and educators. Whole building analysis recognizes that a building is a system of systems and that responsive design is a creative process of integrating the performance of interacting systems, e.g., envelope, fenestration, lighting, HVAC, and DHW. Therefore, any analysis of the performance consequences of these building systems must consider the interactions between them in a manner that is both comprehensive and affordable (i.e., model preparation time, simulation runtime, results trouble shooting time, and results reporting). What Comes in the Package? There are two main parts to equest: 1) the Wizards (both for building creation and EEM analysis) and 2) the (including Results Reporting). Wizards. equest s Wizards are intended to simplify and speed up the process of preparing building models for simulation analysis. Compared to conventional simulation tools, equest s wizards ask comparatively few questions of the user. Combining limited user input with dynamic intelligent defaults, equest s Wizards can be used either to conduct schematic (i.e., preliminary screening) analysis or to speed the preparation of more detailed models to be used for more detailed analysis. Currently, equest comes with three Wizards, the Schematic Design Wizard ( SD Wizard ), the Design Development Wizard ( ), and the Energy Efficiency Measures Wizard ( ). The SD Wizard and are used to create building models. The is used to evaluate building design alternatives. This tutorial provides an introduction to all three wizards. There are two main differences between the SD Wizard and the : 1) The SD Wizard can only create a single building shell. A building shell refers to any area of the building that shares the same (or similar) footprint shape, HVAC zoning, ceiling height, envelope construction type, or HVAC services. The DD wizard can be used to create buildings that require multiple shells. 2) The SD Wizard can create up to two HVAC system type templates (from which one or more HVAC systems will be created in your model). The can be used to create many HVAC system type templates and provides more flexibility in assigning them to building areas. For these two reasons, the is more commonly used. Users can start their equest project in either wizard. SD Wizard projects can be converted to the projects at any time, however, projects cannot be convert to a SD Wizard project. Introductory Tutorial, page 17 of 134

24 equest Introductory Tutorial Things to Know Before Getting Started with equest (cont.). equest s is a Windows-based interface to the DOE-2.2 simulation engine, the most widely recognized, used, and trusted building simulation tool available today. Compared with the Wizards, the requires very detailed data. If a user relies on the Wizards to quickly prepare a rough (i.e., approximate) model of the building, s/he can then add refinements, as needed or preferred, in the. Parametric or EEM Analysis. The principal use for equest is to evaluate the energy use performance impact resulting from building design alternatives (i.e., design options). This is typically done by simulating at least two versions of a building, one with and one without some specific alternative(s). If this is done via the wizards, equest refers to this as EEM Analysis. If this is done in the, equest refers to this as Parametric Analysis. Since EEM Analysis uses the, it is quicker and easier than Parametric Analysis but provides less detailed control of the design alternatives. Parametric Analysis provides more detailed control of the design alternatives but requires more detailed preparation and input. EEM Analysis is introduced in this tutorial. Both EEM Analysis and Parametric Analysis are covered in the equest Modeling Procedures Quick Reference Guide. Help & Documentation. Item Help (brief, one paragraph to one page, explanation of the requested item),topic Help (topical help), and Tutorials (step-by-step illustrated examples) are available via right mouse click at any equest input field in the Wizards or the. The Item Helps and Topic Helps are drawn from the ~3000-page six volume DOE-2.2 Reference Manual. These DOE-2.2 reference manual is also available in PDF format via separate download from New users should start by reading this equest Introductory Tutorial and then move onto the equest Modeling Procedures Quick Reference Guide. Both are available via right mouse click at any input field. On-Screen Data Types. Font color is used to identify which input values displayed on equest screens are defaults versus user inputs, etc. (see Basics in the Quick Reference Guide): red user input (or wizard input written to the INP file green equest (or DOE-2.2) default values dk blue Library values lt blue User-defined default values magenta values based on formula-like expressions purple linked values page 18 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

25 equest Introductory Tutorial Things to Know Before Getting Started with equest (cont.) Results Reporting. equest results are available in a wide range of detail. Graphical Results Reports provide high level results in graphical and tabular formats. Some of these report results for a single run, others report comparisons for multiple runs. Parametric reports are also available for EEM Wizard runs and. Summary Reports (only one is currently available, but more to come) provide high level sanity check type results. Detailed Simulation (DOE-2) Reports are text-based that provide very detailed results. Hourly Reports provide optional hour-by-hour (8760) listings of hourly simulation variables which can be easily exported to spreadsheets. Each of these is overviewed in this tutorial. For more details, see Results Reporting in the Modeling Procedures Quick Reference Guide): equest Project files. equest project files include the following (identified by their file extension, i.e., the last three characters in their name) PD2 stores the building description input into the Wizards (user inputs only, no defaults) viewed and modified using the Wizards. INP stores DOE-2.2 building description inputs. The INP file is initially created by the Wizard (when you click the Finish button to leave the Wizard, but may be modified by the user in the viewed and modified using the. PRD Parametric Run Definitions used to define parametric run inputs. ( runs are stored in the PD2 file.) viewed and modified using the Parametric Run dialog in the. SIM DOE-2.2 Detailed Simulation Outputs a large text file (132 column format, one SIM file is automatically produced for each equest simulation run viewed using the D2SIM Viewer available in the. Introductory Tutorial, page 19 of 134

26 equest Introductory Tutorial Installing equest Visit or to download the latest version of equest. If you are installing equest 3.63 or later and if a version of equest with the same version number is already installed on your computer, uninstall the version on your machine before installing the new version (via Start/Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs). If older versions of equest (i.e., different version number) are currently installed on your computer, they do NOT have to be uninstalled if you would prefer to retain them. Uninstalling equest never deletes any equest user project files. To install equest 3.63, within Windows Explorer, double click the equest setup.exe file. Follow the installation wizard prompts. See the illustrations on the following pages. Important Note: To better support Windows Vista users, the default installation location for many but not all equest 3.63 (and later) files has changed. Only the executable files (.exe,.dll,.ini, etc.) are now installed under the Program Files directory, e.g., C:\Program Files\eQUEST All other equest program files are stored in two new locations. equest user project files (e.g., PD2 and INP files) are stored in one location (see below) while all equest program data files (e.g., weather files, custom glass and utility rate library files, tutorials and reference files, etc.) are stored in a second location. The location for both (project & data files) depends on a new installation option: New Installation Option: During the installation process, you are prompted to install the equest data files either: 1) for use by anyone logged onto to the computer ( All Users, the default option for user with administrative privileges), or; 2) for only your use ( Just Me ), i.e., for users logged on using the same account you are logged on as during the equest installation. If All Users is selected (see Fig. 3), your equest program project files are stored under: XP users: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\eQUEST 3-63 Projects Vista users: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\eQUEST 3-63 Projects while your user data files (e.g., weather data, etc.) are stored under: XP users: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\eQUEST 3-63\Data Vista users: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\eQUEST 3-63 If Just Me is selected (see Fig. 3), your equest program project files are stored under: XP users: C:\My Documents \equest 3-63 Projects Vista users: C:\Users\<user name>\ Documents\eQUEST 3-63 Projects while your user data files (e.g., weather data,etc.) are stored under: XP users: C:\My Documents \equest 3-63 Data Vista users: C:\Users\<user name>\documents\ equest 3-63 where <user name> in the path names above are replaced by the account name of the person who s account was in use during the equest installation. page 20 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

27 equest Introductory Tutorial Installing equest (continued) To install equest version 3.63 (or later), from within Windows Explorer, double click on the equest_v3-63_ Setup.exe file and follow the installation wizard prompts, as illustrated in the following figures. Figure 1, First Install Wizard Screen At the first screen, select Next to proceed with the installation of equest. Figure 2, License Agreement Screen At the second screen, after reading the end user agreement, to proceed with the installation of equest 3.63, select I Agree. Figure 3, File Locations & Components Screen At the third screen, select either Just Me or All Users (the default). IMPORTANT: this selection will help determine where the equest data and project files are installed. See the Important Note on the first page above for a brief explanation. Float your mouse curser over any of the check boxes for a brief description of each option here. After making your selections, click Next to proceed with the installation. Introductory Tutorial, page 21 of 134

28 equest Introductory Tutorial Installing equest (continued) Figure 4, Component Locations Screen At the fourth screen, if you prefer to install the executable program files (.exe,.dll,.ini, etc.) for version 3.63 in a location other than Program Files\eQUEST 3-63, substitute your preferred location or folder name on this screen. Click Next to proceed with the installation. Figure 5, Start Menu Options Screen At the fifth screen, indicate your preferred name for the Start Menu folder that will contain the equest launch icon (default: equest 3.63). Click Install to proceed with the installation (typically takes up to a minute to complete). At the sixth (and final) screen, click Close to complete the installation of equest. Figure 6, Installation Complete Screen At the sixth (and final) screen, click Close to complete the installation of equest. page 22 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

29 equest Introductory Tutorial Testing equest 1 To test the installation, start equest (from the desktop or from the Start button: Start / Programs / equest 3-63 / equest 3-63, or from Windows Explorer, the default location is "C:\Program Files\ equest3-63"). The Startup Options Dialog is presented. Select "Create a New Project via the Wizard" (the default) and press OK (see below). 1 2 From the next dialog, select to run the Schematic Design Wizard. 2 3 At the next screen ( Screen 1 of 41), press Finish (see illustration at right). This will cause a DOE-2 file to be written (taking 10 to 20 seconds). 4 This will automatically navigate you to equest s Detailed Interface. Click on the Simulate Building Performance button (left hand side of the screen, see below) After pressing the Simulate Building Performance button (above), the simulation will run, taking 5 to 10 seconds, depending on computer speed. 6 Upon completion of the simulation run, a dialog is presented, from which you should select View Summary Results/Reports. 6 Introductory Tutorial, page 23 of 134

30 equest Introductory Tutorial Testing equest (continued) 7 Selecting View Summary Results/ Reports (on the previous screen) will navigate you into the results reporting section of equest. The default report will include a stacked bar charts illustrated at right. If no error messages appear on the screen and you are able to view the default results report, the test has completed successfully. 7 IMPORTANT NOTE: Your computer must have a default printer installed, otherwise, no reports will be displayed at step 7 above. 8 8 To exit equest, select Return to Building Description Mode near the upper left area of the screen, then select File and Exit from the menu at the top left portion of the screen. page 24 of 134, Introductory Tutorial

31 equest Introductory Tutorial Tour / Overview Start equest: Start equest session by double clicking on the equest icon from your desktop, from your Start button, or from Windows Explorer (the default location is "C:\Program Files\eQUEST "). Create a new building description using equest s Wizards: From the Startup Options dialog (see the first image below right), select "Create a New Project via the Wizard" (the default), then press. You are then asked which wizard you d like to use, the Schematic Design Wizard, or the Design Development Wizard (see the second image below right). Select to use the Schematic Design Wizard. Review or modify as many of the Schematic Design Wizard s inputs as you prefer. The wizard screens include: general project information including: building type, size and principal HVAC system type overall building geometry including: footprint, floor-to-floor distance and zoning pattern building constructions types for walls, floors, roofs, etc. window and door sizes, distribution by orientation & glass type "activity areas" by fraction of total building area and distribution used to set default values for occupant density, other internal loads and ventilation requirements building operations schedules for occupancy, lights, and equipment type & area assignment for HVAC system types air-side and water-side design flow rates, capacities, power and efficiencies, setpoints, and control options domestic water heating type, demands, capacity, and efficiency While in the the wizard, press or at any time to backup or move forward through the wizard input screens. User inputs are shown in red font, defaults in green font. Press at any time to leave the Schematic Design Wizard and proceed to the Detailed Interface. Your inputs to the wizard are stored in the project PD2 file. Introductory Tutorial, page 25 of 134

32 equest Introductory Tutorial equest s Selecting the Finish button in the wizard saves your wizard inputs into your project PD2 file, writes an INP file (which contains the DOE-2.2 input file), and navigates you to equest s Detailed Interface. The is a Windows interface to DOE-2.2. Use equest s Schematic Design Wizard to modify an existing model: You can return to equest s Schematic Design Wizard, modify your wizard inputs and regenerate your building model, provided that the original building model was generated by the wizard. Any edits made to your model directly in the (see "Review or edit detailed project inputs" below) will NOT be reflected in the Schematic Design Wizard. If you wish to save your original building model prior to making changes, then save the model by clicking the toolbar button, selecting File/Save or pressing Ctrl-S before launching the wizard. Launch the wizard by clicking on the Schematic Design Wizard button on the equest analysis tool bar (near the top of the equest screen). If you wish to save your modified model under a new file name, then visit the first wizard screen and modify the Project Name field prior to selecting the Finish button from the wizard. This will cause the modified model to be saved using the new project name. Use equest s Energy Efficiency Measure (EEM) Wizard to quickly & easily explore your preferred design alternatives: After creating a new building description (e.g., using the Schematic Design Wizard) or loading an existing building description (previously created using the Schematic Design Wizard), from the equest analysis tool bar you can launch the to quickly describe up to ten design alternatives to your base building description. You can then automatically simulate any or all of these alternative cases and view the simulation results as either individual or comparative graphs. Advanced design simulation was never so quick and easy. Perform a simulation: From the equest analysis tool bar (near the top of the equest screen), press the Run Simulation button to perform an annual simulation of the base building design description and/or of any of your design alternatives. Review simulation results: Upon completionof the simulaiton, select (or from the equest analysis tool bar, press the Results Review mode button) to view equest s graphic output reports. In the Results View screen, at the bottom of the results tree diagram (left side of the screen) select the tab, then select one or more projects for which you wish to view results. Select the tab, then selectany of the Single-Run Reports. page 26 of 134, Introductory Tutorial